Elon Musk Joins Congress Opponent of Trump in a Political Rift

Elon Musk intensified his disagreement with former President Donald Trump by publicly supporting Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican representing Kentucky. Musk indicated he will contribute to Massie’s 2026 reelection campaign, responding affirmatively when asked on social media about backing the Congressman.

Trump, who has publicly disparaged Massie as a “loser” and “Third Rate Congressman,” promised to endorse any candidate challenging Massie in the upcoming primary. Last year, Massie easily won his primary with 76% of the vote, remaining unopposed in his deeply conservative district.

Massie has openly opposed key elements of Trump’s domestic agenda, particularly criticizing the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping spending package Trump supports. He has also condemned recent US airstrikes on Iran as unconstitutional and pushed for bipartisan legislation to limit US involvement in conflicts like the Israel-Iran tensions.

Following Musk’s criticism of the bill as “utterly insane,” Trump responded by threatening to investigate Musk’s companies’ reliance on government subsidies, even joking about using the cryptocurrency DOGE to “send Elon back to South Africa.” Trump also claimed Musk benefits from record subsidies, suggesting he could be forced to shut down operations without government support.

This clash extends to broader disagreements over green energy policies. Both Trump and the GOP accuse Musk of opposing efforts to cut subsidies for fossil fuels and reduce mandates requiring electric vehicle sales. Musk has argued the bill favors outdated industries at the expense of future innovation, though he denies his opposition is solely about green policies.

Amid the escalating feud, Trump jokingly suggested he might consider deporting Musk, referencing the cryptocurrency DOGE and implying that Musk’s subsidies make him vulnerable. Their public falling-out followed Musk’s recent criticisms of Trump’s handling of sensitive files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which Musk later regretted and deleted.